It’s often, and rightly, said that there’s a housing crisis in Britain. Few aspects of this are more concerning than the shortage of homes which are offer social rent or, by the slightly disingenuous official definition, “affordable”.

Councils have lost the will and the skills to build, housing associations aren’t taking up the slack and private developers will generally only provide such of these properties are they’re compelled to. The ball is therefore in many ways in the court of local communities which can create homes for their communities through land trusts and rural exception sites – and through not only maintaining existing almshouses but also, as is the case with an excellent scheme in Lambourn, creating new ones.

The Lambourn Almshouses website provides the following summary of the history and current importance of this form of housing:

“Today there are over 1,700 independent almshouse charities providing homes for around 35,000 residents throughout the UK. Each almshouse charity is now regulated by a scheme approved by the Charity Commission and administered by a board of volunteer trustees. Such schemes mandate the organisation of the charity, the management of its assets and criteria for appointing residents.”

It adds that the known history of almshouses in Lambourn dates back to at least the time of Henry VI in 1446, a proud tradition which The Almshouses of John Isbury & Jacob Hardrett continues to this day.

The website offers the following summary of the project:

“With the closure of the Methodist chapel the trustees of the Lambourn Almshouses recognised its potential to provide further homes. The site was purchased in 2017. Nestling between the Isbury and Hardrett’s Almshouses, the trustees imagined a continuous site of almshouses stretching from Isbury, through the chapel site and into that of Hardrett’s.

“The chapel is a Grade 2 listed building which demands sensitive development. The Charity instructed architects to develop a plan that provides four apartments on two floors within the existing chapel building and a further five in an appropriately styled building to replace the current schoolroom annex and adjoining caretaker’s cottage.

Planning approval and Listed Building Consent have been granted and the Trustees look forward to bringing this project to fruition, providing a further nine much needed homes for those in need in Lambourn.”

We’ve been in regular contact with Peter Penfold, the Clerk of the Trustees, about this project: updates can be seen below.

December 2025 update

Yet more good news to report with this project. I spoke to Peter Penfold, the Clerk of the Trustees, on 6 December and he said that everything was going to plan – as it has pretty much the whole way through.

The windows are in, the plastering nearly finished and the dcorating following closely behind. The first-fix electrics are done and the kitchens are being installed. Indeed, the four units in the old building are now all but complete. Work is also well underway on the outside drive, paving and parking area and the landscaping.

“We’ve also received a most welcone piece of news recently,” Peter added. “We’re very grateful to the Bradbury Foundation for having come through with a very generous grant. This gives us a decent amount of financial headroom – we’ve heard that phrase a lot recently – and will go a long way to helping to see the project through to completion.”

This is still predicted for late January, though Peter wisely said that he’s not going to offering any guarantees. With any project of this scale, unwelcome surprises can crop up at any time. However, he agreed with my suggestion that, in general, the time when any serious ones might have raised their heads has passed. Fingers still being kept crossed, of course.

Two points from the above are worth picking up on. Firstly, the scale. Taking everyhting into account, this will have been a £2.5m development project, far bigger than anything else the Trust has ever attempted. It will almost double its housing stock from eleven properties to twenty. This will help more people in the community but will may also require the Trust to make a step up in terms of its structure. A period of consolidation may therefore need to follow.

The second concerns unwelcome surprises. One thing that’s to have characterised the project is that pretty much everything that could have gone wrong, didn’t. In the early days there was a phantom wall that was discovered and a few other “wow” moments, but nothing that set the scheme back or caused a serious re-think. “There have been a lot of decisions to take and a few sleepless nights,” Peter confirmed, “but overall I’d definitely have taken this outcome at the beginning.

“We’ve also been really lucky with all the people involved in the construction,” he added. “They’ve all been brilliant. Even though I’m talking to you on a Saturday, for example, work’s carrying on as we speak.”

Two of the reasons why building problems can get delayed, and so perhaps cause the building teams to drift away, are lack of money and regulatory delays. Both of these were navigated successfully. The various permissions took the usual length of time but didn’t require stoppages. Peter was also able to keep the money from the funders flowing. Still a couple of months to go but the development seems to be over the hill. Hats off to all concerned.

Looking to the future, this may provide even better news for Lambourn. The community has a need for housing of this kind which this scheme will help address but certainly not completely solve. This project has given the Trust a sense of self-confidence so that, were another such opportunity can present itself, it will be able to step up and take advantage of it.

As we’ve increasingly mentioned in Penny Post, most recently in this article, the current system of providing such dwellings is not working as it should. There are, however, ways by which communities can help themselves. This is a superb example of this in action and one that other parishes and almshouse trusts across West Berkshire and beyond should be inspired by.

November 2025 update

More good news to report, mainly in two important areas – power and money.

On the first of these, Clerk to the Trustees Peter Penfold told us on 7 November that the electricity should all be connected up within the next week or so. This includes the 20KW of solar panels which means that, as very little power will be drawn from them until people move in early next year, until then they’ll be contibuting to the project’s coffers. Storage of excess power with batteries is something that’s being looked at as a future investment.

Generating the power to heat the homes is one thing: but what about stopping it escaping? More good news for the future residents here as the insulation had, Peter explained “been over-specified”. To give one example, 150mm Celotex insulation panels being used rather than the 100mm that the regulations required.

Turning to the important question of money, things are going well on that front too. As Peter explained last month (see below), securing the donations on the scale required is a complex business. Not only do the donors need to ensure their money’s going to a project appropriate for their aims but they also want to pay it when it’s needed, and not before. The main trick for him is to make sure that the building work doesn’t need to stop due to cash-flow issues. So far, that hasn’t happened.

“I have had a couple of sleepless nights,” he admitted, “but in general, we’re very happy with how this has gone. It’s absolutely correct, and much to their credit, that the trusts have to do a lot of due diligence both before approving the grant and paying the money. Our job is to make sure we live up to what we’ve promised and given them adequate notice when the point will trigger they’re payment is about to be reached.

“We’d like to thanks all the donors, large and small,” he continued, “in particular the Garfield Weston Foundation, the Bernard Sunley Foundation and the Syder Foundation. Without them, and the other organisations who have contributed or have promised to do so so, this project would have been little more than a piece of wishful thinking.”

Wishful thinking it certainly isn’t. The same could be said of the completion schedule, which was mid late January at the start of the project and has remained so ever since. “Of course, anything can happen,” Peter reminded us, “but that’s always been a realistic best guess and that hasn’t changed.”

As to who will cut the ribbon on the big day, that’s not been decided yet. It’s another thing on the trustee’s to-do list – for the moment, though, making sure the power is connected and that the rest of the money flows in remain the top priorities.

October 2025 update

It seems to more of the same at the Lambourn Almshouses – which, considering that everything has gone pretty well so far (as described below), is good news.

“Most of the work is now internal,” the Clerk to the Trustees Peter Penfold told me. “The roofs are all on and we expect the last of the scaffolding to come down in the next week or so.” I suggested that the timing had been spot on, with the exterior work having taken advantage of ideal summer weather and the project moving indoors now the temperature was starting to drop. He agreed that they had been lucky: though I suspect that good planning was involved as well.

As well as bad weather, other things can hold up a building project. Problems with contractors or the planning system are two, but not ones the almshouses have suffered from. Nor has there been any local opposition – quite the opposite – which can also delay things.

Then, of course, there’s the matter of money. “We’ve had a good number of generous donations, including one confirmed very recently,” Peter Penfold said. “My word, though, making the applications is big task. At first, we’d hoped that a crisp 200-word statement of what we were doing would work for everyone. It soon became clear, though, that each funder had different questions and different matters on which they wanted to be satisfied. The forms often weren’t short. Each one was a unique exercise.”

Trusts and other funding bodies will only donate to a project if it matches their often very specific objectives. As well as the general nature of the project, this might include the location, the size and who will benefit. It’s reasonable that they need comfort on these points as trustees can be personally liable for funds which are wrongly allocated.

There’s also the question of the timing. Many donors will only make payments when certain milestones, like fifty percent completion or the walls being up, have been reached although it may not be easy to agree when this has has happened. Others may only want to write the cheque when others have done so or when a specific part of the money’s been raised, either of which can lead to a game of financial chicken and egg. All in all, getting the promise of the money can be the easy part.

“I’m very pleased that we’ve kept the money flowing in so that the work hasn’t had to stop,” Peter said. “Having Greenham Trust involved was a big bonus, for two reasons. Not only did that mean that, up to the threshold, other donations were match funded but it also gave credibility to the project from the outset. We’re very grateful to them and all the other funders. Work on this aspect still goes on, however.”

It will continue to do so. Although there’s enough money to get the job finished, the Trust’s reserves are now lower and its borrowing higher than it would wish. A sinking fund is also needed for future maintenance. Other potential donors will therefore be contacted. Contributions, no matter how small, are also welcomed from members of the public – see the foot of this post for details.

All this form filling, money chasing, hard work and good weather has meant that the project remains on budget and on schedule – an almost unheard of combination – with the opening date of January 2026 still the very achievable target. “We’re looking forward to toasing the event with a glass of champagne,” Peter concluded, “although, with every penny still important, perhaps we might have to make do with Prosecco…”

August 2025 update

“The construction of nine new homes at the Lambourn Almshouses is progressing extremely well ,” a post on the Trust’s FB page announced last week, and the project “remains firmly on schedule for completion by January 2026.”

On the site of the five new-build homes, work has now reached roof level. Tiles are currently being stacked and laid, giving the buildings their final shape. Inside the Grade II listed Methodist chapel, where four apartments are being created, major interior work has already been completed. The wooden floors are laid and kitchens fitted.

Attention has also turned to the surrounding grounds. The old boundary wall, which had become unstable and unsafe, is being carefully replaced with a new brick wall that matches those used throughout the site.

“This progress would not have been possible without the generosity of the many individuals, companies and organisations who have supported the project,” the post continues. “Their contributions – financial, practical and professional – have made it possible to move closer to our shared goal of providing nine additional secure homes for those in need within the Lambourn community. Thank you to everyone who has helped us reach this important stage. Together, we are building more than houses – we are creating homes and a stronger community.”

July 2025 update

“The work is progressing extremely well,” Peter told us on 1 August. “In the last few days the scaffolding on the chapel part has been removed. It all looks wonderful.” This part of the structure will provide four homes (which are now partly complete) with five more now being created in the new adjoining building, where the school rooms used to be.

“Inside the old chapel itself, the new dwellings are really beginning to take shape,” Peter continued. “The wiring and plumbing are now in place, and the walls and ceilings have been fully plastered. Fixtures and fittings for the bathrooms and kitchens have been selected, and installation will begin in the coming weeks. Meanwhile, the roof rafters are in place and the structure is now ready for battening and tiling.”

The fundraising situation remains as before (see the foot of the post): a number of major donors have pledged contributions, most of which are triggered by the project having reached a certain stage. In addition, support from local residents for this valuable local facility are always welcomed. Details can be found below.

I told Peter that, as a local writer who’s reported on a number of schemes in the area over the years, I find it a very pleasant change for a change to be covering a project that’s proceeding on course, on schedule and on budget. “So far, it’s all looking good,” he agreed. “We remain on track to have these nine new almshouses by early 2026 providing safe, secure, and comfortable homes for those in need within our community. We’ve been very lucky with everything so far…”

I’m not sure hoiw much luck has to do with it: well-planned and well-executed projects don’t work out that way by accident. It’s not finished yet, of course, but as the building work has now passed the half-way mark, this seems like a good moment to congratulate Peter and everyone else involved for what’s being achieved there. Local housing associations, many of which seem reluctant to invest in such schemes despite the obvious need for housing, could learn much from what’s going on in Lambourn.

June 2025 update

Despite what was hoped last month (see below), the scaffolding has still not come down: does that mean that there’s a problem, we asked Peter Penfold? Has something unexpected cropped up, as it can do with hold buildings (and has done with this one)?

“Not at all,” he told us. “The work continues to go very well. It was just felt that it would be better to keep it up for a bit longer as there were some more tasks that could more easily be done with this in place. We hope that it will soon be removed and people will be able to see how much has been accomplished. I’m looking forward to seeing the results without the scaffolding myself…”

As for the funding, he told me that a number of the large grants which had been promised are starting to come through now that the approximate half-way stage has been reached. Charities and trusts are rightly careful about what they agree to donate to, which must accord with their stated aims. They will be similarly cautious about the exact point when the release the funds. This can be a challenge for projects such as this that need to keep the work going. So far, though, there seem to be no hold-ups, for this or any other reason.

As mentioned before, donations from the local community are also welcomed: see the link at the foot of the article for the best way of doing this.

May 2025 update

On 9 May 2025 we again contacted Peter Penfold, the Clerk of the Trustees, to find out how things were coming along.

“Very well,” he told us. “However, because the work is now mainly indoors and the scaffolding is still up, there’s not a lot to see from the outside. That doesn’t mean that things aren’t happening…”

The walls, for example, is now at first-floor level and the sash windows are being installed. There are also some partly aesthetic discussions going on about matters such as bricks and paving slabs.

“We hope that in a few weeks the scaffolding will be down,” Peter continued. “People will then see some real changes compared to how it was before. We’re really delighted that this beautiful building is being given a new lease of life – and a new function.”

Donations are still welcome via the Good Exchange link (see below). Further updates will be provided when the next milstone has been reached.

March 2025 update

The project continues to progress well on all fronts.

The building work itself is basically in two parts: the renovation of the old Methodist chapel; and the construction of the new building adjacent to it. Peter Penfold, the Clerk of the Trustees, confirmed on 7 March that both had recently reached important stages.

The chapel is now waterproof and most of the major structural work has been done. “Old buildings always have a capacity for springing surprises,” he told us. “You can discover walls within walls – or walls that should be there but aren’t – defective foundations, rotten woodwork: all kinds of thing can crop up, often at the most inconvenient times. We’ve been pretty lucky so far but are relieved that all these uncertianties should now be behind us.”

As for the new part, that’s now built up to the damp course and the walls should start to go up this month. This is a stage that tends to happen fairly quickly – as with so many projects, it’s the preparation and the finishing off that takes the time.

Then there’s the question of the money. Another milestone has recently been passed here, with the project having met its match-funding target on The Good Exchange website. Does this mean, we asked Peter, that you have all the financing you need?

“Sadly not,” he replied. “The Good Exchange will match fund up to a certain level of donations – £100,000 in our case – and that total’s now been reached. However, there’s still another £800,000 or so to go. Any donations made now therefore won’t get match funded – but they will attract Gift Aid if people are entitled to that.” He therefore encouraged people to continue to make donations on The Good Exchange.

£800,000 is going to take a lot of raising and, with the best will in the world, isn’t likely entirely to come from local residents. “Indeed not,” he agreed, “though of course we welcome every pound towards to this important project. We’re in discussions with a number of significant donors. Some of these will only contribute when a project has reached a particular stage, often fifty percent completion, which we aren’t quite at yet.”

How about the completion date, originally scheduled for mid-January 2026: is the scheme still on course for that? “At the moment, very much so,” Peter Penfold confirmed. ‘All the fingers are being kept crossed but things seem to be going very well. As I mentioned last time, huge credit goes to all the people at Heritage Construction who’ve been working so hard on this.”

Finally, I asked him about what he found the most satisfying part of the project. “Apart from the progress, the thing that gives me the most pleasure is the level of community support,” he replied. “It’s very clear that this is a popular scheme. I often get stopped in the street by people asking me how it’s going and to say how much they’re looking forward to seeing it finished. Knowing that the village is behind us makes such a difference. It also makes me even keener to ensure that we don’t disappoint them…”

January 2025 update

This project is now well under way. On 11 January we caught up with Peter Penfold, the Clerk of the Trustees, to see how the building work was going.

“As these pictures [see the top of the post] show, the development of the Methodist Chapel site to construct new homes for the Lambourn Almshouses is progressing well, he told us. “Despite the biting cold, construction work on the Almshouse development project is steaming ahead beautifully.”

“The chapel now boasts a brand-new roof, the east wall has been completely rebuilt and has been successfully tied into the chalk blocks of the north wall, preserving the structural integrity and historic character of this Grade 2 listed building – and it’s looking fantastic. This is a significant step that ensures the building is weatherproof and ready for further internal work.

“The floor slab has been poured, neatly covering the new drains beneath. On top of the slab, the interior walls of the flats are starting to take shape. They’re being built with solid blockwork, which means the flats will be wonderfully soundproof, well-insulated and built to last. Openings have been made in the walls to accept new windows, transforming the space into a functional and modern living environment while respecting the heritage of the site

“Outside, the drainage work is also moving along nicely, with the system eventually set to connect to the main sewer in Oxford Street.

“Hats off to the team at Heritage Construction—what a cracking job they’re doing!”

Further updates will be provided as available.

Fundraising

Donations are, as the website also explains, vital to the ongoing work of The Lambourn Almshouses, “playing a crucial role in both the upkeep of the existing homes and the development of our ambitious project to build nine new residences. These contributions ensure that we can maintain high-quality living conditions for current residents, while also expanding our capacity to support more individuals in need.

“We are especially fortunate to have the generous backing of Greenham Trust, which has agreed to match every donation made, up to £100,000. This incredible opportunity allows every contribution to have double the impact, helping us to secure the future of the almshouses and provide much-needed housing for those in our community.”

Please click here to visit The Good Exchange website in order to help support this important project.